Actor Jun Ji-hyun's side denied allegations that a Chinese ad shoot was canceled over the "Polaris" line controversy.
Jun Ji-hyun's agency, Peach Company, said on the 23rd, "This ad was wrapped up before 'Polaris' was released," and added, "Issues overlapped and caused misunderstanding, but the project and the ad shoot cancellation are unrelated." That day, one outlet reported that Jun planned to film an ad for a Chinese clothing brand in Seoul on the 25th, but it was canceled due to the "Disney+ 'Polaris' anti-China" controversy.
The agency, Peach Company, explained that the shoot had been postponed before the release of "Polaris."
Jun appeared in the Disney+ original series "Polaris" as a presidential candidate and former U.N. ambassador, but faced criticism from Chinese internet users over lines in episode 4, including, "Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall in the border area."
Some launched boycotts against companies for which Jun serves as a model, and some cosmetics and watch brands were also said to have pulled their ads.